Taunting Repartee
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Rogue opened her eyes quickly, sitting up with a start.
'I gotta go find ev-' she started to think.
"Rogue?" a voice asked. Rogue turned her head to see the Professor sitting next to her bed. He had a book in his hands.
"Is everyone okay?" Rogue asked panicked.
"Yes, everyone is alright," the Professor said calmly. Rogue let out a sigh in relief as he closed his book. "How are you feeling?" he asked concerned as he placed it on his lap.
"Better than I was," she said as she lifted her body up into a sitting position. She raised her arms above her head as she yawned. "How long was I out of it?" she asked as she lowered them to her sides.
"A little over twenty hours," he answered sadly.
"That long, huh?" she asked with a sigh as she turned her body to sit facing him.
"You were clearly exhausted," he said. "You didn't even take off your shoes," he said. She blinked surprised by the comment before she glanced down at her feet; they were shoeless now. "Ororo removed them when we returned yesterday," he explained. "It was the second thing I noticed," he said.
"What was the first?" she asked.
"...The blood on your fingers," he said gravely as he gazed down at them. Her eye's followed; they was dried red crusted on and under her figure nails. Almost looked like nail-polish to her.
"It's Magneto's not mine," she said quietly.
"Logan attested to that fact and I saw the cut on Magneto's face," he said. Her eyes quickly moved to his.
"Magneto w-?" she started to ask alarmed.
"It's alright, Rogue. He did not harm anyone," the Professor said quickly as made eye contact.
"... So, what did he do?" she asked.
"He talked... for a while, about you. We debated the morality of whats he wants from you," he answered.
"How'd that go?" she asked dryly.
"About as well as expected," he said; his tone equally as dry.
'I need to see that conversation...can't ask Prof though,' she thought to herself. There was silent between them for a long moment.
"I considered taking you to the hospital more than once," he said.
"Doctor's there wouldn't have know what to do with me," she huffed. "...What stopped you?" she asked as she glanced up at him.
"The doctors wouldn't have know what to do with you," he said with a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. She returned the smile anyway. His facial expression almost immediately returned to normal "In a while I would like Hank to run a few tests. I would like to ensure that this was caused by physical and psychological exhaustion. Both of which are perfectly understandable given everything you have had to endure," he said.
"Yeah, that's fine. I-" she started to say as she was hit again with a surge of guilt over leaving them to deal with Magneto alone. Tears formed in her eyes as she made eye contact with the Professor. "I'm sorry about not going back to the woods. But I knew if I did and Magneto showed up that he'd just kidnap me again and there really wasn't anything you could do to stop him, and I was so tired I knew I wasn't gonna be able to put up a fight this time-" she ranted.
"Rogue, Rogue, it's alright. You were right to return to the institute. It is my job to protect you," he said strongly. "Not the other way around. I am the one who needs to apologize," he said.
"No, you don't. I'm the one wh-" she started to say.
"Who has displayed more fear and panic these past few days than I have ever seen you in," he said before sighing. "And I know some of the horrors you have had to stand witness to," he said. She shuttered a few images from her nightmares were creeping up on her. She took a deep breath pushing them back.
"Are yo-" he started to ask.
"I'm fine," she quickly as she remade eye contact. "You were saying?" she asked.
"I am sorry," he said. "I would like to say more but I doubt you like to hear my explanations twice. When you're ready I would like to call a meeting to get everyone up to speed on these issues," he said.
"Who's gonna be there?" she asked.
"All of the staff, of course, Scott, and Jean. If there's anyone else you would like to be there," he said.
'Can't ask Kitty to come without inviting Kurt along too, but I don't know if I want him knowing some of the stuff that I can tell them about,' she thought. She glanced up at the Professor. "There are some details, about everything, that I'd still like to keep to myself. So, if I get vague," she started to say.
"I'll understand," he said.
"And everyone else?" she asked.
"Will respect your privacy, I'm sure," Charles said.
"Then Kitty and Kurt can come if they want," Rogue said.
"Very well," the Professor said with a nod. "I will ask them. I will be in sub-level seven. Come there when you're ready and I'll call the others," he said as he turned to leave.
"Okay," she muttered as he left the room; closing the door behind him. 'I am not looking forward to this conversation,' she thought with a sigh.
'I doubt you would be. I've found you rarely enjoy censoring yourself.' the fragment of Magneto offered as she stood up.
'Who does?' she asked as she started to gather all she would need to take a shower. 'Thanks for your help yesterday, Max.'
'My pleasure,' he said; she could hear the smile in his voice. 'It it weren't for fatigue I believe you could have stirred those notions independently. You were doing quite well for yourself before I offered you aid,' she exited the room.
'Not well enough,' she thought with a sigh as she walked towards the bathroom she saw Scott coming out of it.
'And now is your chance to gain the knowledge you seek,' he said.
'I know,' she thought. "Hey, Scott," she said with a smile.
About an hour and a half later Rogue opened her eyes with a huge grin on her face; she was laying on her bed. After she had taken a shower; she had replayed the events of the day before from Scott's point of view.
'I said entirely too much,' the fragment commented.
"Yeah, you really fucking did," she said happily.
'You're going to use every word against me, aren't you?' Max asked.
"Yup,"she grinned. He sighed; she laughed in response.
'Anna, about our conversation yesterday. There was something about your father I was going to tell you but I was interrupted by your escape plan. Do you wish to hear it now?' he asked. She paused for a moment; her good mood being dampened but the topic. 'It is favorable news... for him at the very least,' he added.
'He used to send me letters?' she asked.
'I cannot testify to the plural, but there one time I recall back in October of nineteen- ninety-five, I think it was. Victor was working in one of my bases in Northern Siberia. You father wished to sent you a birthday card but the nearest city was more than a week's journey. He asked for the time off to make that trip. Instead I spent two hours flying there and back for him,' he said.
She took a moment to replay what he had just said from his point of view. He wasn't lying.
'Why?' she asked incredulously.
'That year I was feeling a bit... sentimental about fatherhood. Only a few months before I found out about Pietro's and Wanda's existence... For the first time in decades I was a father again,' he explained. '...And on the other hand, I couldn't afford to let Creed go for the amount of time. It made much more sense for me to delver it,' he added.
'Of course, it did,' she smiled sarcastically. He ignored the tone in her voice.
'I cannot say whom fault it was that you did not receive that letter, but he did try to contact you at least once,' he finished. Rogue let out a sigh.
"...What's my Aunt's last name?" Rogue asked suddenly.
'What?' he asked; completely taken by surprise.
'My Aunt Carrie; what's her last name?' she asked again.
'How do you know that?' he asked confused.
'Does it honestly matter? I know that and more; you cannot erase my knowledge. It is mine to do with as I please,' she repeated.
'I didn't say that. He did,' he said frustrated.
'You would've said it if ya were him,' she pointed out; he sighed. 'Look, I don't feel like spending hours looking through your memory trying to find one name. So, just answer the damn question,' she said.
'...Her name is Carrie Raven,' he said.
'Seriously?' she asked with a raised eyebrow.
'Yes,' he said.
'What about my father?' she asked.
'I'm afraid I do not know, Owen's last name. Irene would not tell me. The only reason I know your Aunt's is because I read the newspaper article on your mother's car crash,' he said.
"Car crash?"she repeated quietly.
'Yes,' he replied gravely. Both him and Irene knew who her mother was. That she had a father and Aunt who may have wanted to raise her. Anger filled her. Why had she been denied a chance to be raised by them?
"Why did you bother reading it?" she asked. "What were you sentimental about that month?" she asked angry.
'It wasn't out of sentiment. My curiosity was out of rage. Back then Irene and I were working together to gather young-'
"Mutants who's power she was detecting from her visions. You brought them to Amiela's. I know all that already," she said annoyed.
'How do you-' he started to say again.
"Never you mind how I know. Get the part about my mother," she said impatiently.
'I was in the business of finding orphan mutants loving homes to live in. Until then Irene had told me of children in orphanages-'
'I know that's how you find Todd and Lance. Move on,' she yelled.
'But when Irene asked me to retrieve you she sent me to the site of the car crash. I should have been suspicious when she gave me a specific time but I still trusted her back then. This was the first time she ever gave me cause not to,' he said.
'Show me,' she demanded.
'Anna, no, I-' he started to protest.
Now,' she commanded.
'You do not need the image of your mother's corpse added your nightmares,' he said desperately.
'I don't dream anymore, you know that,' she said.
'You are seeking your independents from my counterpart, correct?' he asked.
'Hell yes,' she thought.
'You have been seeking independent with your own powers?' he asked.
'You know that,' she pointed out enraged.
'Then one day, you alone will have to confront your nightmares. Please do not add this image to your collectives of visions to battle. I am sorry, my girl, but I love you far too much to aid you in this endeavor. If you must see it, you will receive no help from me," he said. He gasped as she started to pull into his.
'Anna, wait,' he exclaimed.
'What?' she shouted annoyed
'I know what is it like to see my loved ones killed before my eyes. You have experienced first hand what Ms. Munroe suffered through. She suppressed those memories and has been left with a fear she does not understand. Never-the-less I would wager that if given the choice she would make the trade her sub-consciousness made for her as a child... I would make that trade,' he said strongly.
'I thought knowledge was power,' she argued.
'It is and I am not denying you knowledge, my girl, I will explain all I know if you would allow me to finish a sentence with interruption? Please, Anna, this is one memory of mine you do not need to see,' he said strongly. She paused.
'..Fine, tell me everything,' she ordered. He let out a sigh of relief.
'It was very late in the evening; which I thought nothing of when Irene had given me the time. I had assumed that I would be able to take you unseen better at that hour and that Irene had looked and picked the best hour in which to take you. So, I arrived at the address and was horrified but what I found.'
'There had been an accident in front of the house; two cars had collided. I went to see if I there was anyone still alive. Immediately, I heard you crying and took you out of the car. Thankfully, the child's car seat you were in had saved your life. I saw your mother next; it was clear that she was deceased and had been for at least an hour. I went to the other car and there was man; dead. I learned later that he, Michael Jones, had been driving intoxicated and was the cause of the accident.'
'I went to the residents; surprised that no one there had called for help. I soon learned that know one lived there. That I had the child I was supposed to collect in my arms already. I was enraged. I had created Ameila's home for Wayward Children to give young mutants a family. Not to steal them from the one's they already had.'
'I could have stopped the car crush. If Irene had explained the situation; I would have saved your mother. I believe Irene knew that; which is why she kept me in the dark. I returned, ready to confront Irene, but she had left. She knew how I would react. With her power's, of course, she knew. Unfortunately, those abilities of hers kept me from location her,' he said.
"Bullshit," she shouted. 'I saw you two together a year later. You held me on your lap as you two talked about who I was gonna live wit-' she stopped herself and pulled into his mind.
'Anna,' he protested again.
"Relax, I'm not looking at that memory,"she muttered before she continued. She knew exactly which of his memories she wanted to see and able to put it up within seconds.
"Wait," Magneto said to Irene; from his seat at the kitchen table; Rogue's younger self sitting on his lap. After a moment Ameila walked back into the room.
"Thank you," Ameila said as she took Rogue from Magneto.
"My pleasure, Ameila," he said.
"I'll just be back in a minute. It's time for her nap," Ameila said with a smile.
"Please do not rush on my account," Magneto said as Ameila walked out of the room with Rogue. He waited until he could no longer hear her foot steps before he asked "Why should she not be raised by family? You have already denied her the chance to raised by her mother why should I allow you take her Aunt from her as well?" he asked.
"Because the women is old-fashioned. I have seen visions of her beating the girl with a brush; among other things. Anna will grow up, abused and feeling unloved; by either of those people. She will run away from home an early age and end up here either way," she said.
"And how would her mother have raised her? Owen could have been dealt with if you had only explained," he said; attempting to keep his anger in check.
"Magneto, that was-" she started to say.
"You made me an accomplice to your murder, Irene," he said as he stared at her. "It had been over a decade since I seen bloodshed. I preferred it that way," he said.
"You can still claim that after what you did last month? You have more blood on your hands than I do. You have seen the means our enemies are willing to use," she said.
"You were apart of those means," he said.
"Only until you located me, as I foresaw you would. Because of us The Black Womb Project is no more and those who would seek to hurt our young charges are gone. You saw what Dr. Milbury was willing to do to his own son. You saved future mutants from those horrors," she said.
"Only because I let my anger get the better of me," he said. A child had been burning; as it turned out from the boy's own powers; but he hadn't known that. All he had seen was his Anya's suffering.
"You did right," she said.
"Irene, I do not wish to have a debate on morality with you," he said dryly.
"The war we fight-" she started to say.
"Is now one of knowledge. In which we have a head start; the advantage," he said.
"Which is why you need me Magneto. I was gone a year. How many children did you place in that time?" she asked.
"Only the one's already planned before your disappearance," he said bitterly. "Why else would I consent to your return?" he asked.
"You've already stated that you would not lose your caretaker for the sake of one child. But I have allowed this facility to remain dormant for a year for Rogue's sake. I will do so for another. Her upbringing is something I have contemplated for a very long time; exploring possible futures for hours on end. You may not share my feelings, yet, but she is very important to me, Magneto. I only have her's and mutant-kinds best interest at heart. What she needs is time. Time to grow up. Let her do so here for a while longer," she finished.
"How much longer?" he asked dryly.
"I will let you know when," she said.
"Irene, you try my patients. I should lock you in a cel-" he said.
"And then I will refuse to give you information you need. We have been through these threats before Magneto and we have agreed that I am to stay here until our work here is done. Do you wish to alter our deal?" she asked.
"No," he said through his teeth. "Know, Irene, that if you do leave again you will not have the head start you did last year," he said; malice in his voice. She laughed.
"I was wondering what the cameras were for," she said with a smile. "I have no intention of leaving yet. I will let you know when," she repeated.
"When you will leave or when Anna will have parents?" he asked.
"Both," she answered. They was silence between them until Amelia returned.
Rogue pulled out of the memory tears in her eyes.
'You know what happened after that,' he said. She nodded in shock.
'Yeah, Irene came to live with us when I first moved in with Raven and Victor. She was my nanny. They would go off doing god knows what, for you, for whoever was hiring them. But Irene was always there when they weren't,' she thought. 'She left a few times. Longest was two months.'
'That was in ninety-one, I remember. I needed her at Amelia's then,' he thought. She listened to his comment half-halfheartedly. Her mind still gasping the implications of what she had just learned.
'She said yet. 'You may not share my feelings, yet, but she is very important to me,' she quoted. 'She knew, everything. That my name was gonna be Rogue. What was gonna happen with you and my parents,' she thought in shock. "I spent five years living with her feeling unloved by my parents and did she try and help. No," she exclaimed. "She could have fucking told me that Victor had tried to sent me letters. It would've helped," she shouted.
'Unless, she was hiding them from you on purpose,' he pointed out. She laid back down.
'Do you really think she'd do that?' she asked.
'She has hidden far worse,' he reminded her.
'…She killed my mother,' she thought overwhelmed. 'She- she-,' she tried to think. That realization was the last straw; she let go crying opening. She turned on her side as she cried; her eyes closing tightly.
"Rogue?" a voice asked; she felt a hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes as she turned over.
"He- hey Kitty," she muttered as she sat up.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"E-everything," she mumbled.
"Here," Kitty said gently as she held out a tissue.
"Thanks," she managed to say as took it. She spent moment rubbing her eyes and blowing her nose. "You got anymore?" she asked.
"A whole box," she said as she reached down and put it on the bed.
"Thanks," she muttered again as she took another and blew her nose. Kitty put her around on Rogue's back. "Kitty, I couldn't handle hurting you by accident right-" she started to say before she broke into tears again. The word accident being enough to set her off at that moment. Kitty kept her hand where it was.
"Well, that's totally easy to fix," Kitty said.
"Easy?" she asked in shock
"Yeah, can I borrow a pair of gloves?" she asked. Rogue nodded. "Okay, I'll be back in, like, ten seconds. Kurt, close your eyes," she ordered. Rogue glanced across over the room. Kurt was sitting on Kitty bed. He waved at her with a sad smile before he did as Kitty ordered. She looked up at Kitty; she was by the closet. She pulled off her shirt and threw it in the hamper at the foot of the closet. She pulled out a turtle-neck shirt and put it on. "Okay, Kurt," she said as she went over to their night stand and pulled out a pair of gloves. She sat on the bed as she put them on. "Okay?" Kitty asked.
"Yeah," she said again before Kitty hugged her. She wrapped her arms around her roommate and held her tightly as she let go again; crying deeply. She felt her brother take a seat behind her; he put his hand on her back.
After a few minutes Rogue pulled back.
"Here," Kitty said handing her another tissue. Rogue went three more of them until she was done wiping her face off. "Do you wanna talk about it?" she asked.
"Yeah," she mumbled.
"So, what Magneto do now?" Kurt asked.
"Nothing, I guess. This time it's Irene," she said before she blew her nose again. There was knock at the door.
"Rogue, it's Ororo, Charles," Ororo said.
"And Logan," he added.
"May we come in?" Ororo asked. Rogue nodded.
"Yeah," Kitty said before the door opened and her instructors piled into the small room. Logan and Ororo went to sit on Kitty's bed. The Professor sat near the doorway.
"Prof, I think you're right. I should stop looking for a while. I don't think I can handle another fucking revelation," she muttered.
"What did you find this time?" The professor asked gently.
Rogue took a moment to tell them; she broke down a few more times as she tried to say it all out loud. But after about twenty minutes they now knew everything she did about the death of her mother, Irene's part in it and Amelia's Home for Wayward Children.
Kitty had her arms around Rogue shoulder and on her other hand on her arm. Rogue's head resting against Kitty's body slightly. The physical contact was one of the few things keeping her going.
"So, I spend all those years loving the women who killed my birth mother," she finished softly. And although she felt the urge to cry again; she didn't; there were no tears left in her.
There was silence for a few minutes. She could feel her family members glancing at each other awkwardly; searching for reassurance as they tried to figure out what they were supposed to in response. Kitty was the only who got it right; hugging her as tightly as she could.
"My God," the Professor muttered under his breath. "There are no words strong enough to console in a situation like this."
"I need a phone," Rogue said.
"I'll be right back," Kurt said before he teleported.
"Who are you-" the Professor started to ask before Kurt teleported back into the room; again sitting next to Rogue. As he handed it to her; Kitty loosened her hug; freeing her arm. Rogue quickly dialed a number. She placed it to her ear. She listened to it ring three times before he picked up.
"Hello?" a voice asked.
"You were right. Irene is a home-wrecking cunt, " Rogue said strongly.
"That bitch hide my letters?" Victor asked in anger.
"She killed my birth mother," Rogue screamed.
"That Bit- w- wait, she what?" he asked confused.
"She killed my mother. She saw that Priscilla was gonna die in a car crash and she could have told Magneto to leave an hour fucking earlier and he could have saved her life. But no, she had to be the one to raise me. So, my mother had to die. For my best interest- fucking bullshit- for mutant-kinds best interest. I don't give a shit. She could protect mutant kind without murdering a women she had never even fucking met," she yelled. There was silence for a moment.
"...You want me kill her?" he asked. Rogue's eyes widen in shock. "I will so fucking kill her. I've been looking for a good enough excuse," he said. Rogue thought about it for a moment before sighing.
"... No," she groaned. "I hate her and everything, but if I ask you to do that then I'm no better than she is. I don't want that. I don't want you ta kill her... Thanks though," she said with a smile.
"You change your mind you let me know, okay?" he asked.
"Okay," she muttered. There was silence between them for moment and Rogue was trying her hardest to avoid the gaze at any of her instructors in the room; the looks of disgust were more than she could handle at the moment.
"Rogue, you wanna hunt her down and just punch her a couple a times?" he asked. The question took her completely by surprise. Rogue couldn't help herself she started laughing.
"What?" she exclaimed with a smile.
"I'm serious, Kiddo, I don't have to kill her I could just make her hurt a little," he offered.
"I should so not be laughing right now," Rogue said through her laughter.
"Why the fuck not?" Victor asked. "Look, you, me and Graydon. You say the word and we'll fucking go. We'll find the bitch and we'll each take a swing at her. She hurt you the most so you get to punch her first," he said.
"I don't think Gray's gonna wanna leave his job and Emma for that," she said.
"Sure, he will and who says he gotta leave her. He's a lawyer. They're both politician. They fucking love that shit," he exclaimed. "It'll be a family trip; it'll be fun. On the way back we'll stop for food. You still love Big Macs?" he asked.
"Yeah, yeah, I still love Big Macs," she said with a grin; as she tried to hold back her laughter. "This conversation is so fucked up," she muttered.
"So, what you're dealing with right now," he said his tone more serious than it had been. "It's unbelievably fucked up what she did to you. You deserve a little retribution," he said.
"Even if it's only hypothetical," she said with a smile.
"Yeah, whatever the fuck that means," he muttered. She gave out a short laugh.
"Victor, would you like ta go get literal Big Mac?"
"What we gotta read it or something?" he asked. She broke out into laughter again. "What is there braille in the sesame seeds or some shit like that?" he asked as she continued to laugh. She started coughed because she was laughing so hard. "Anna, listen I was kidding," he said as Kurt teleported out of the room. "I know what literal means and I would love to go get dinner or lunch or whatever the fuck time is it with you. Whatever, you want, okay, Rogue?" he asked as Kurt teleported back in with a bottle of water.
"Okay," she said as she started to calm down; Kurt handing her the bottle with a smile. "Thanks," she said to both of them. Kurt smiled at her.
"Your welcome. So, what day you wanna do this?" he asked as she opened she top and took a sip.
"Tomorrow, okay?" she asked.
"Tomorrow fucking great," he said; she smiled for a moment before she realized that he couldn't pick her up from the institute; she quickly took another sip of water. "...How about we meet there?" he asked.
"Okay," she said relieved
"There's one on ninety-five; just outta town," he said.
"I'll see ya there. Like six a'clock tomorrow," she said.
"Six a'clock it is. Ya okay, to go. We can talk some more. If you wanna bitch about how much of a bitch Irene is I'm the one to fucking talk to," he said. She laughed again.
"I'm better than I was before I called you. God, I can't believe how much I really, fucking, needed that," she said in disbelief as she laughed softly.. "Really, I'm better, now. I can handle shit now. I'll see you tomorrow, okay, Victor? she asked.
"Ya sure?" he asked.
"Yeah," she said.
"Alright, see ya tomorrow," he said.
"Bye," she with a smile before she hung up. She let out a sigh happily as she put the phone on the bed. "Okay, so I actually have a father," she muttered. She took a large sip of the water. "Hm, so when do you wanna call the meeting?" Rogue as she glanced up at the Professor.
"Rogue we do not have to call this meeting today," he said.
"I just wanna get it over with. I wanna go to school tomorrow without worrying about having this conversation," she said.
"You do not have to go to school tomorrow either. You can take a few days to-" the Professor started to say.
"I can't sit around here doing nothing. I'll go crazy," she exclaimed. "I'll probably call Magneto," she said honestly. She could see the surprise in his expression. "I'd rather go to school and pretend everything's okay. So, let's just go have this conversation," she said.
"Are you certain?" he asked. She nodded. "Very well. Let's more this meeting to the sub-level," he said. She nodded.
Yay! Another chapter finished! I love you all for reading; please let me know what you think of it?
Quick notes;
(1) In biggest marvel universe (Earth 616) Rogue's last name has not been revealed. However in a few other universes (X-Men Forever, and X-Campus) Rogue is referred to as Anna Marie Raven and Anna Raven. But on Marvel's website Anna Raven is listed as one of Rogue's aliases. If it's revealed to be her real name that could easily be changed. So, whether or not this will become Rogue's real last name remained to be seen.
For a moment, I considered using Rogue's last name from the movies. However, given Rogue's history her family shown there was most likely a foster one. So, I choose to instead give her Aunt the last name given in the comics. If Marvel ever declares a last name for her I will most likely go back and change that line of the story and be done with it. However, given their track record for declaring real names; (over twenty for Rogue's first and middle and over FORTY for Magneto's full) we could have quite a wait on our hands.
(2)And if any of you are interested in getting in on some current comics and seeing some cannon Rogue/Magneto interactions; go read X-Men Legacy 248 and 249! Especially, X-Men Legacy 249! Thank you again, BasialM82!
(3) Yes, I know I spend way too much time worrying all the tiny details of this fic and making things as cannon as possible but seriously go read X-Men Legacy 249! It's totally worth three bucks! ^.^
Thank you for reading!
Raven35link: thank you for all the reviews! I giggled at your review of chapter 34! I hadn't even thought of that :) Not it matters if they're blood in it; considering where the car is now. :) I really hope you enjoy this chapter too! Please let me know what you think?